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Dangerous Driving

Dangerous driving is one of the most common offences and causes of road accident fatalities along with careless or inconsiderate driving. A driver could be committing an offence by driving dangerously without being aware of it. Sixt wants all of our customers to be aware of dangerous driving and drive safely and conscientiously. To make our customers more aware of this we have provided a guide on dangerous driving for you to read.

A person drives dangerously when:

The way they drive falls below the accepted minimum standard that is expected of a careful and competent driver.

It would be obvious to a careful and competent driver that driving in that manner would be dangerous and unacceptable.

Some examples of dangerous driving are:

Racing, going too fast and driving aggressively.

Overtaking other cars dangerously.

Ignoring traffic lights and road signs.

Driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Being distracted by using a mobile phone or another electronic device.

Driving when unfit, such as being injured, being unable to see properly or being sleepy.

Reading or looking at a map or talking to and looking at another passenger.

Knowing that the vehicle has a fault or an unsafe load.

A person drives carelessly or inconsiderately when the way they drive falls below the minimum standard expected of a competent and careful driver.

Punishment for dangerous or careless driving can vary depending on what the offence is. If it is a minor offence you could just get a warning and have no further action taken against you. You could also receive a fixed penalty which can involve you getting a fine and penalty points on your licence. You may also have the option to receive educational training instead of having penalty points and a fine. For more serious offences you could get a court summons, a driving ban and imprisonment.